Working Title 111 But Harry I love you!
by chansontriste
Summary: HarryMarietta Edgecomb fic. Set in Order of the Phoenix, during the time of DADA and after. Rated T for language and mild sexual references and whatnot. HM HHr HC RHr HG... everything! bwah.
1. The Unexpected Romance

Marietta ran after him, screaming, "Harry! I only did it because I didn't want you to get in trouble or get hurt!"

He turned quickly and stared at her fiercly. "By doing this you hurt me more than anything that Umbridge woman could ever do!"

She collapsed to the floor, sobbing, "But Harry, I love you!" Harry stared at her, blinking slowly. After a moment's hesitation, he stormed off to the Gryffindor common room.

---Several Weeks Earlier---

Marietta stared at Harry's lithe form as he walked around the room, helping students with their spells. She could see his beautiful eyes through his scruffy but oh-so-gorgeous hair. His shoulders, though not as wide, perhaps, as that ruffian Goyle's – she stifled a shudder – were strong and proud, and just right, she imagined, for her to lean her head upon. He turned around, his eyes shining in the light, and –

"Sorry Marietta!"

She snapped out of her reverie and blushed, mumbling, "It's okay," as she reached up to smooth her hair. She wanted to keep looking at him – how she wanted it! Pulling a feather out of her hair, she noticed a pillow on the floor and raised an eyebrow at it. Harry noticed the look on her face – was it anger? Or was it… No, he stopped himself. That couldn't be it – she hated him!

"Accio pillow!" He held it close to his chest – the way she wanted to be held by him – and walked away, blushing, to help Neville.

Cho peered quizzically at Marietta, "Pay attention!"

Marietta squealed and resumed her usual overly-giggly persona. "Y'know, Cho, he's quite fit."

Cho gazed longingly at the perfect fifth-year boy, "Yes, he is." And they giggled some more.

---

Marietta walked down the hall with her books clutched to her chest as she thought of the black-haired boy. She tried so hard to think of reasons why she had no place in loving him as her feet clicked on the empty, cold stone corridor. Her parents would disapprove – click – he was frustrated with her stupidity – click – her best friend liked him – click – he didn't love her, he loved – oomph. She looked up, startled out of her misery, into the eyes of they very boy she had been dreaming of.

"Hi Harry," she said breathily.

"Er, hi Marietta." Harry was absolutely bewildered, _crap, first she hates me and now she's trying to get to me by acting weird. Oooh, her hair looks pretty today… shiny… NO! Harry – bad Harry! I bet it smells great too… HARRY!_

"I have to get to class." He stepped forward but so did she. They collided, lips almost touching. She giggled, and he blushed. "Sorry!" they mumbled in unison. Harry stepped aside to allow her to pass, but she stood there – staring at him. He moved again, as did she, and again they collided. They lost themselves in each other's eyes –

"_Students late for class!_" Peeves zoomed through the deserted hall, ending their "moment." "Potter and Edgecomb, kissing in the hallway!" echoed Peeves in a singsong voice.

"Shut up Peeves! Shit, I have to go." Harry ran forward, leaving Marietta alone with the echo of Peeves' song. She stared at the floor, a silent tear splashing on the cold marble. She wished that they had kissed – she wished that he didn't hate her. She wanted him to love her.

"Sorry I'm late Professor – Peeves was making a racket," Marietta squeaked out as she slid into her seat next to Cho, who was quite obviously ignoring her.

"Yes, quite a racket. Five points from Ravenclaw. Honestly… Potter, Miss Edgecomb? Couldn't you find someone more worthy than some sniveling brat like Potter? Fifty additional points from Ravenclaw, Miss Edgecomb! Perhaps that will teach you not to let petty matters like Potter make you late to my class," Snape sneered at her.

"Sorry, Professor?" Marietta prodded Cho's shoulder, whispering, "What's going on?"

"Like you don't know!" Cho glared at her.

"What? Cho – what's going on?"

"_How could you!_" She whispered harshly, refusing to look at her "best friend."

Peeves looked out from behind a smoky cauldron, singing, "Potter and Edgecomb sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"Oh, piss off!" Marietta shrunk down in her chair behind her books, unsuccessfully trying to hide from the rest of her class.

"Miss Edgecomb, find out the lesson from Miss Chang. If you need help, please do not hesitate to ask someone else." Snape shooed Peeves from the chamber and began tormenting the other students as well.

Cho shoved a pile of ingredients and a small scroll of instructions toward Marietta, who slowly began to create her potion.

---

"Cho, wait up! I didn't kiss him, I swear! I don't like him – you know that!" Marietta ran after her friend, tripping over her own feet as she tried to organize herself.

"You knew I liked him," Cho shot back.

"I know! I just bumped into him in the hallway and – "

"Decided to start snogging!"

"No! Peeves saw us in the hall – we just said hi, with _words_ – and he started spreading rumours. You know how he is!"

Cho's eyes filled with tears. "I know that…" She smiled, "But I don't think I minded it so much that time. He was kind of cute…" They both began to giggle until Cho's tears spilled over.

"I miss him so much…"

Marietta placed her hand comfortingly on Cho's shoulder, "We all miss him – you the most, obviously, as Cedric was your boyfriend – but it's time to move on."

Cho nodded and wiped away her tears. "With Harry, right?"

"Right… with Harry." Cho noticed the reluctance in Marietta's tone, but passed it off as she hugged her friend.


	2. The Rumours Begin to Spread

Harry flopped down into the squishy armchair across from Hermione's study area in the Gryffindor common room. He sighed heavily, watching her. She ignored him. He sighed again. She barely glanced his way.

"Mione…" Harry's voice had managed to perfect its tones of whininess.

"What? Harry – I have a paper due tomorrow for runes! What!" Hermione snapped, causing him to sit up frightened in his chair.

"I have a problem."

"So do we all. What, Harry?"

"I'm in love."

"Oh my god! Just ask her out already – girls hate whiny idiots that can't muster up the courage to ask them out when it's so obvious that you like them." Her gaze was fixed on Ron, who was snoring in front of the fire.

Harry leaned forward and grinned at her, "Or, you could ask him." She glared at him, releasing an indignant "Hmph!"

"Whatever – it's not Cho."

Hermione's insanely fast scribbling came to a screeching halt, leaving a thick black line of ink running down the centre of her parchment. "Shit – look what you made me do! Now, _what?_ Have you been drinking?"

Harry peered at her. "You didn't hear Peeves?"

"Like I have time to listen to Peeves!" She poked her parchment with her wand, erasing the line perfectly.

"Oh, well… It's you, Hermione. I love you. I haven't had the courage to tell you, but I've been meaning to tell you for a while now." Harry smiled warmly at her, his eyes sparkling with the firelight.

Her eyes became as wide as saucers as she again came to a stop though this time her quill left a large ink blob as she had forgotten to lift it from her paper. "Harry… Oh, I can't believe… How can we…" Her voice trailed in and out, leaving Harry almost unable to stifle his laughter. "Harry – I… Wait, you're kidding, right?"

"No, Mione!" He rolled over in the chair, his laughter absorbed by the foam in his chair.

"Harry!" She chucked her Arithmancy text at him, hitting him in the shoulder. Still laughing, Harry tossed the book toward the still snoring Ron, who woke with a, "But Mum, I can't eat more potatoes!" causing Harry to fall off his chair in another fit of laughter.

"Grow up!" Hermione, furiously red at this point, packed her things and ran up to the girls' dorm, of course not before screaming, "I hate you both!"

---

"Hermione!" Marietta stood in front of the now confused bushy-haired girl, who was trying to pass.

"Marietta?" Marietta's face burned red with some emotion Hermione could not discern.

"Do you…" Marietta stood, tongue tied.

"What? Make it quick. I'll be late for class." Yet still she stood, fuming.

"Do you like Harry?" Marietta finally blurted out.

"What? What's that mean?" Hermione was more bewildered than ever. Her face now burned red too – for a different reason from Marietta's, however.

"Well, it doesn't matter. Just turn your eyes to someone else, because I – I mean, Cho – likes him. A lot." Marietta turned on her heel and left in a huff. Harry walked up from behind Hermione.

"What's going on? You okay, Mione?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She began to stalk off, but turned. "You know, if you like that Edgecomb girl, it's fine with me. Just don't sic her on me." Her eyes filled with tears. She then continued her angry walk, not turning around to look at Harry.

"Hermione!" Harry ran after her, catching her wrist. She tried to shake his grip, but he held firm.

"Let go of me!" She said struggling. Suddenly, Harry pulled her to him and held her close.

"I'm sorry, Hermione… I do like her… But I don't want whatever happens to drive us apart."

"Then don't let it," she cried quietly into Harry's chest.

Little did they know, but poor Marietta was watching, just out of hearing range.

---

Marietta trudged to her house's study period, and, as per usual, she arrived late. ("Five points from Ravenclaw, Miss Edgecomb.") Cho and Padma noticed the look on her face, and demanded she tell them what happened.

"I can't… I can't tell you, Cho."

"Marietta! I'm your best friend – you can tell me anything!" Cho tried to decode the look on Marietta's face, but she kept her head turned to prevent Cho from seeing the pain in her eyes.

"If you can't tell Cho, then tell me." Padma smiled sweetly, almost pleadingly, at Marietta.

"It's nothing. Really." Marietta managed a smile, and once Cho went back to her work, she scribbled, "Harry Potter and Hermione Granger are going out" on a piece of paper and slid it toward Padma, who read it and gasped, "I knew it!"

Cho looked up, "What?"

"Oh, goblins killed the Bloody Baron's great uncle."

"How is that important?"

"I don't know." Padma shook her head, _the Bloody Baron has relatives? What was I thinking? Whatever – this is too good! I have to tell Paro!_ She ran off to "use the lavatory" and found Parvati who was sitting with Lavender in front of the entrance to the kitchens.

"You will not believe this! Harry Potter and Hermione Granger are going out!" Padma squealed excitedly.

"What? But doesn't she like Ron Weasley?"

"I guess not – Marietta Edgecomb told me. She said that she saw them cuddling in the hallway."

"Then what was Peeves saying yesterday? About Harry and Marietta?"

"God knows what goes on in Peeves' head but still. This is huge!"

"I know! Ohhh, I have to tell Seamus!" Lavender stood up, bubbling over with excitement. She ran off, leaving the twins giggling as Dobby handed them each a bottle of butterbeer, pondering what he had just heard.


End file.
